The Earthly Child
by Arctic Zephyr
Summary: After being found in the woods, an earthly girl claiming to be chased by shadows is inducted into the lives of a rather unearthly group.
1. Of Running and Rescues

She ran faster than she had ever run before. She had to; the shadows were gaining on her. She couldn't even remember what the damn things were, just that they hurt – badly – and if they touched her, she'd be done.

The world was silent, save for the sound of her frantic footfalls on the pavement and her labored breathing. Not a single car had passed her on the lonely, winding road, and her chance of any form of rescue was slim to none. She turned sharply towards the woods, hoping they would lose track of her. But as she pushed past the brush, the thorns catching her skirt and scratching the bare flesh of her arms, she could swear she heard the distinct clamor of a large figure stumbling behind her. Her heart began to pound as she freed herself and darted into the trees. Maybe the cover of darkness could conceal her small form from the lumbering beast.

The trees proved to be a formidable foe. Low branches slowed her progress as she dodged and weaved to avoid them. She pushed past one as thick as her forearm and could have sworn that she heard it smash the shadow as it sprang back. Triumph filled her as she stuck her tongue out at the sound. With her head turned, she was unable to see the large root that protruded from the earth just ahead of her. Her foot caught it and she was sent sprawling into a ditch. Her head spun and her back was throbbing. She could feel the shadows closing in, suffocating her. A scream welled inside her, but her throat clenched painfully, letting only a hoarse whistle escape. They were too close now – reaching towards her neck with cold fingers that made her skin crawl. She struggled up and staggered away from their grasp.

There was no escape. Any minute now, she would feel them on her, invading her, tearing through her body and soul. Her vision stung and she swiped at her eyes. '_I won't die crying',_ she thought stubbornly. A quick glance at her hand made her breath hitch. Blood, gleaming red in the moonlight, was smeared across her pale hand. Her blood. She blinked.

* * *

The next thing she knew, she was staring up at the sky. It was beautiful. Scraggly branches, bare from the cold winter months, framed the heavens. Twinkling stars studded the inky black sky, like diamonds on velvet. A dead leaf floated towards her on a cold breeze and settled next to her. As she turned to look at it, a searing pain tore through her head. She groaned.

From behind her, a twig snapped. She instantly remembered her pursuer – the shadows. _'It's no use,'_ she thought as she screwed her eyes shut against the searing pain. She seemed to wait forever, but death never came. She peeked one eye open, expecting the worst. A figure loomed over her, silhouetted in the moonlight. She held her breath, anticipating pain, but the figure merely leaned in towards her. A match was struck. The flickering glow revealed a man, his scraggly blonde hair framing an angular face. Then the flame was moved towards her, its warmth soothing in a small sort of way. The flame died and thin fingers grazed across her head. The sharp pain the touch elicited made her hiss and the hand darted away. Suddenly, she was lifted into arms that seemed both strong and brittle. They were warm and strangely familiar to her.

"Come along, sweetie," he said as she rested her head against a bony shoulder. His voice was deep and slow, like a crooning lullaby, "We'll get you all fixed up."


	2. Of Injuries and Introductions

She awoke with a start, the nightmare already fading into a distant memory. She dismissed the lingering feelings of unease and settled back into the warm embrace of the covers, the veil of her canopied bed filtering the dim light from the candles into a lovely shade of blue.

_'Wait…'_ she thought groggily, _'When did I get a canopy bed…?'_

The thought forced her up and snatches of memory trickled back into her mind. She was running, she remembered that. Then she tripped and there were shadows and blood and a gaunt man picked her up, but then what? She ran a hand through her hair and winced when she caught the hard ridge of a scab. A scab? Just how long had she been here? Alarmed, she bolted to the door.

The corridor that connected to the room reminded her of an old Hammer horror film she had seen as a child. From the looks of the cobwebs and tattered wallpaper, the place hadn't been lived in for years. Yet the girl was certain she heard the distinct sound of rock and roll coming from somewhere below her. She followed the sound past numerous doors and down a long staircase. As the music grew louder with each passing step, the girl found herself oblivious to the strange décor. The only thing that mattered was finding another human being that could explain what was going on.

Pushing past a pair of double doors, the girl found herself in a completely different universe. The room was brightly lit, with sky blue walls and party decorations scattered about. A red carpet trailed up to a stage backed by heavy curtains. A gorgeous figure was sprawled across a throne on the stage, chatting aimlessly with the blonde man from the woods. A girl with cherry-red hair was tap dancing to the steady beat that flowed from a jukebox to the right, while a woman with unruly auburn curls lazily flicked a broom across the floor. The sprawled figure was the first to notice the girl, rising from his seat with a welcoming smile.

"Good morning, sleepyhead," he called to her, "And how are we today?"

She could only gape at the man as he strolled towards her. How could anyone with that much make-up caked on their face still be so unbelievably attractive? He laughed and she was immediately aware of the burning of her face. She forced her gaze away from him and tried to focus on her feet.

"No need to be shy, darling," he purred, tilting her face towards his own with one perfectly manicured finger.

Just when the girl thought she would explode, the tap dancer slid up beside the man and grinned. "My name's Columbia," she squeaked, "and this is Frankie. You were really out of it for a while, you know. How do you feel?"

"I, uh, I'm alright, I think," the girl stammered as she found her voice.

"Okay!" Columbia beamed, "Now we're getting somewhere! How about a name?"

"I don't know," the girl said after careful deliberation, "I don't think I have a name..."

"Oh…um…" Columbia's face scrunched up as she thought, "That's pretty weird. How 'bout we call you Trixie, for now. I used to know an usherette back home named Trixie who'd sneak me into the sci-fi flicks for free, so it's a great name."

"Uh…"

"Come to think of it," she continued, "Your parents must be worried sick. Where do you live?"

"I've never really lived anywhere, but…"

Columbia gasped and her eyes grew bright, "Great! You can stay with us here at the castle! It'll be such a bla- Oh. She can stay, right Frankie? Please?"

"Wait! I couldn't possibly…"

"Of course you can," a familiar voice suggested, and all eyes turned in its direction. It was the man from the woods.

"Riff Raff!" Frank scolded, "How dare you be so short with our guest."

"I did not mean to seem rude, master," he droned, "but it would probably be in her best interest to stay here. "

"And just how did you come to that conclusion?" Frank asked, a studded heel tapping impatiently.

"She speaks in her sleep," he turned to the girl with an ominous grin, "of being pursued by someone."

"Don't be silly," Frank dismissed, "It's only nightmares, nothing-"

"I'll stay," the girl interrupted.

"Well, well, well," Frank cocked an eyebrow at the girl's outburst and turned to her with a slightly indignant smirk, "I guess that's that."

Columbia squealed in delight and pounced on the girl with a tight hug, "It's gonna be so fun! We'll have to get you some new clothes though. Yours are kind of ruined, anyways. Oh! And you can sleep in my room tonight! It'll be just like a sleepover. I haven't had a sleepover since I was a kid! We can paint our nails and listen to music and stay up all night and –"

As the groupie babbled on, Trixie found a slight panic rising in her throat. It felt like she was missing something, something very important, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. '_If I can't remember,' _she thought firmly, '_it can't be that important.'_ She swallowed down the feeling and smiled broadly when Columbia insisted that she had to give her a tour of the place. Soon enough, the thought slipped from her mind as she found herself enthralled by the unearthly and macabre decadence of the castle.


End file.
